Undecided Voters

[rdowns]

With three days left before Election Day, there are reports of undecided voters as high as 14%. This friggin' campaign has been going on for 20 months. What the hell are wrong with these people?


An Associated Press-Yahoo News poll of likely voters put Obama ahead, 51 to 43, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. But one in seven voters, 14 percent of the total _ said they were undecided or might yet change their minds.

[MacDawg]

I would say many of them don't like either candidate worth a d**n and are trying to decide which one to vote against. Can't say as I blame them much.

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[Sky Blue]

http://idisk.mac.com/mike.rice/Public/Pictures/Skitch/DemConWatch__Undecided_Voters-20081101-095855.jpg

[sushi]

I would say many of them don't like either candidate worth a d**n and are trying to decide which one to vote against.
Agree.

Can't say as I blame them much.
Agree.

Both camps change their tune repeatedly during the campaign to lure voters to their side. For some, about 14% it appears, change their view depending on what they have seen, heard or read most recently. Nature of the beast.

On a side note, I've known both strong Democrats and Republicans who have sworn by their candidate. However, when they go to vote, they do not vote for them. When asked, they simply say that when there were in the voting booth, they couldn't vote for their candidate for whatever the reason. So you never know until the fat lady sings as they say.

[jessica.]

I would say many of them don't like either candidate worth a d**n and are trying to decide which one to vote against. Can't say as I blame them much.

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

I'm going to have to agree here. TBH I felt like in some respect I was voting (I've already voted) for the lesser of two evils. Short of writing in my own name on the empty line, I believe in my decision whole heartedly.

[SLC Flyfishing]

I would say many of them don't like either candidate worth a d**n and are trying to decide which one to vote against. Can't say as I blame them much.

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

Macdawg nailed down exactly where I am at this point. But I wouldn't necessarily call myself undecided since I've decided against either of the popular candidates. Now which alternative to cast a vote for?

SLC

[Anuba]

With three days left before Election Day, there are reports of undecided voters as high as 14%. This friggin' campaign has been going on for 20 months. What the hell are wrong with these people?

A lot of analysts think that the Bradley effect is hidden among those undecided voters. I dunno, personally I don't think there's much of a "hidden" race factor, I think those who have a huge problem with race have already moved to the McCain side (next time you see footage from one of his rallies, try to spot a single black person!). I think that if Obama was white, polls would be showing 60 Obama / 35 McCain / 5 undecided+"other".

[Blue Velvet]

A lot of analysts think that the Bradley effect is hidden among those undecided voters.


The Bradley Effect is those who tell pollsters one thing and do the other. So by being undecided, they do not qualify.

Anyway, debunking the Bradley Effect in this election is Nate Silver. (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/08/persistent-myth-of-bradley-effect.html)

[3rdpath]

this is what david sedaris has to say about undecided voters...


"I look at these people and can't quite believe that
they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they
simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually,
parks it beside my seat. 'Can I interest you in the chicken?' she
asks. 'Or would you prefer the platter of ****** with bits of broken glass in
it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask
how the chicken is cooked."

[Anuba]

The Bradley Effect is those who tell pollsters one thing and do the other.
I know, but Roland Martin / Al Sharpton / that Democratic strategist with the bad overcomb were talking about the Bradley effect and the large number of undecideds, and argued that perhaps the closet racist voters have moved from the "Oh sure, I'll vote for Obama!" smoke screen to the "Hmmmm... I just haven't decided yet" smoke screen. It's still a kind of Bradley effect, as the bottom line remains that they have in fact decided to not vote for the black guy.

[rdowns]

I still don't see how anyone could still be undecided. In coming to my decision, I chose Obama. My rationale was that the uncertainty of Obama is better than the certainty of McCain. That was about 8 weeks ago.

The more I got into the election, the more I liked Obama and the less McCain. Watching his and Palin's stump speeches only solidifies my decision. Virtually every line out of Palin's and McCain's mouth is a huge distortion of the truth.

FWIW, I have voted 60% Dem/40% Rep in my lifetime. I even voted for Reagan...twice.

[dukebound85]

this is what david sedaris has to say about undecided voters...


"I look at these people and can't quite believe that
they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they
simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually,
parks it beside my seat. 'Can I interest you in the chicken?' she
asks. 'Or would you prefer the platter of ****** with bits of broken glass in
it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask
how the chicken is cooked."

well obviously everybody who is decided feels that the other choice is utter crap:rolleyes:

[rdowns]

When Bill O'Reilly is the voice of reason when someone is attacking Obama, something is really, really wrong.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/01/victoria-jackson-obama-a_n_139962.html

[dukebound85]

When Bill O'Reilly is the voice of reason when someone is attacking Obama, something is really, really wrong.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/01/victoria-jackson-obama-a_n_139962.html

who thought it was a good idea bringing her in for an interview? at least get someone somewhat not stupid

[63dot]

With three days left before Election Day, there are reports of undecided voters as high as 14%. This friggin' campaign has been going on for 20 months. What the hell are wrong with these people?

While I know that I am a true blue liberal at this point in my life, I am still torn inside between the Democrats and the Green Party. I certainly attribute my leftward political movement to the last two years of law school and maybe I have become brainwashed. One returning professor who has left the field of teaching law called the textbook writers of the Harvard/Yale/Stanford textbooks full on Marxists. :)

I am an older voter, a baby boomer, and I thought the trend would be that I would move closer to the middle as I got older. I look to my slightly older UC Berkeley radical cousin and his views have moved to the left also.

At this point, I am struggling with voting for a safe candidate that shares some views with me, or voting with a trendy Green candidate that shares more views with me who has no chance of winning.

[iGary]

I just haven't decided who I am going to write in.

[MacDawg]

this is what david sedaris has to say about undecided voters...


"I look at these people and can't quite believe that
they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they
simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually,
parks it beside my seat. 'Can I interest you in the chicken?' she
asks. 'Or would you prefer the platter of ****** with bits of broken glass in
it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask
how the chicken is cooked."

Apparently one man's chicken is another man's platter of ******

In my opinion, the flight attendant says, "you can have chicken ****** or horse ******, pick".
It is different to be sure, but in the end, it is still ******.


Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[Anuba]

When Bill O'Reilly is the voice of reason when someone is attacking Obama, something is really, really wrong.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/01/victoria-jackson-obama-a_n_139962.html
Is Victoria Jackson serious, though? I mean... she's a former SNL cast member who comes across as someone playing a republican bimbo on SNL and overacting like crazy, and she says stupider things than the deranged McCain rally lady who didn't trust Obama because "he's an arab".

[Peace]

I've been keeping track of the Associated Press this election year and to be honest I really don't trust them. Their polls have been lower than other polls. They are first out the gate with negative info about Obama and their reporting has been sub-par if not biased.

[mactastic]

I would say many of them don't like either candidate worth a d**n and are trying to decide which one to vote against. Can't say as I blame them much.

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

I'm going to have to agree here. TBH I felt like in some respect I was voting (I've already voted) for the lesser of two evils. Short of writing in my own name on the empty line, I believe in my decision whole heartedly.

Macdawg nailed down exactly where I am at this point. But I wouldn't necessarily call myself undecided since I've decided against either of the popular candidates. Now which alternative to cast a vote for?

SLC

Conservatives sure seem to be holding their noses while voting this cycle...

As we can see, the enthusiasm gap is quite significant again this year.

[MacDawg]

Conservatives sure seem to be holding their noses while voting this cycle...

Conservatives have no dawg in this hunt

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[Ugg]

Conservatives have no dawg in this hunt

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

Define conservative...

[Ntombi]

who thought it was a good idea bringing her in for an interview? at least get someone somewhat not stupid


They ran out of "celebrities" who will publicly endorse McCain.

I always thought her dumb blonde schtick was just that. Too bad it was real.

[MacDawg]

Define conservative...

Reagan-base conservatives in this context

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[rdowns]

They ran out of "celebrities" who will publicly endorse McCain.

I always thought her dumb blonde schtick was just that. Too bad it was real.

Indeed. I spent several years hanging out at SNL (had a friend who was a producer) and that is no act.

[SLC Flyfishing]

this is what david sedaris has to say about undecided voters...


"I look at these people and can't quite believe that
they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they
simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually,
parks it beside my seat. 'Can I interest you in the chicken?' she
asks. 'Or would you prefer the platter of ****** with bits of broken glass in
it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask
how the chicken is cooked."

I assume you are referring to John McCain as the Chicken, and Obama as the plate of **** with glass in? It's not really that black and white man, at least not for everyone. And for you to say that it is, or should be, shows a lot of arrogance on your part.

[SLC Flyfishing]

Conservatives sure seem to be holding their noses while voting this cycle...

As we can see, the enthusiasm gap is quite significant again this year.

Are you calling me conservative? I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken sir! Not everyone who doesn't like Obama is a conservative, isn't making broad based assumptions without actual knowledge a tactic of the right? Am I to assume that in fact you're the conservative?

For your information, I have no party ties, and no political leanings, I always vote based on what candidate makes the better impression on me. I was out of the country (Portugal) when Bush was elected the first time, though I probably would have voted neither republican nor Democrat in that race. And last election I voted for Kerry. But I WILL NOT vote for either of the scumbags at the front of this race on election day. And that's a fact!

SLC

[3rdpath]

I assume you are referring to John McCain as the Chicken, and Obama as the plate of **** with glass in? It's not really that black and white man, at least not for everyone. And for you to say that it is, or should be, shows a lot of arrogance on your part.

well i can only assume who sedaris was referring to.


and i do think it is a very simple decision...based upon the candidate's positions, their choice of VP, and the type of campaign they've chosen to run.

if making an informed decision is arrogant-than i'm guilty as charged.

[mactastic]

Are you calling me conservative? I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken sir! Not everyone who doesn't like Obama is a conservative, isn't making broad based assumptions without actual knowledge a tactic of the right? Am I to assume that in fact you're the conservative?

For your information, I have no party ties, and no political leanings, I always vote based on what candidate makes the better impression on me. I was out of the country (Portugal) when Bush was elected the first time, though I probably would have voted neither republican nor Democrat in that race. And last election I voted for Kerry. But I WILL NOT vote for either of the scumbags at the front of this race on election day. And that's a fact!

SLC
I know, I know... we're all the perfectly unbiased and independant political prognosticator with no leanings towards any particular political views and perfect -- nay, even better than perfect; TRUE -- objectivity.

It's everyone else that's so biased and myopic politically!

:p

Nice try though.

[jplan2008]

Reagan-base conservatives in this context

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif


The Reagan who raised taxes twice?
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05E5DE1F31F93BA35755C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
he followed his huge 1981 tax cut with two large tax increases. In fact, no peacetime president has raised taxes so much on so many people.

The Reagan vs. Clinton?

the economy grew slightly faster under President Clinton, and, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates, the after-tax income of a typical family, adjusted for inflation, rose more than twice as much from 1992 to 2000 as it did from 1980 to 1988.

The Reagan who wasn't really as popular as people think?

In fact, though Mr. Reagan was very popular in 1984 and 1985, he spent the latter part of his presidency under the shadow of the Iran-Contra scandal. Bill Clinton had a slightly higher average Gallup approval rating, and a much higher rating during his last two years in office.

The Reagan who added trillions to the deficit, tripling it?
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/asked-about-the-economy-mccain-cites-reagans-example/
..the deficit nearly tripled during the Reagan presidency, partly due to tax cuts and increases in military spending.

The Reagan that expanded the earned income tax credit (similar to Obama's plan, but much bigger amounts, except only to families with kids)
http://www.observer.com/2008/politics/perverted-idea-fairness?page=1
Reagan praised the earned income tax credit as the best “anti-poverty” and “pro-family” legislation ever enacted by Congress.

Oh, I know, the Reagan who still overall raised taxes for low-income people and lowered them for the rich -- the trickle's coming, sometime soon, I'm sure of it.